The United Arab Emirates’ passport has achieved what many thought impossible a decade ago: breaking into the ranks of the world’s most powerful travel documents. The feat, confirmed by Henley & Partners’ 2025 Passport Index released this month, is a testament to years of calculated diplomatic engagement and economic transformation.
Since 2015, the UAE has secured access to an additional 72 destinations worldwide, propelling its passport 32 places higher to secure the 10th position globally. With visa-free access to 185 destinations, it stands as the only Arab nation in the index’s top tier.
The UAE first broke into the top ten in 2024, sharing ninth place with Estonia and Lithuania – a significant jump from its 15th-place position in 2022 and 2023.
Take a look at the countries that have climbed the highest in the Henley Passport Index rankings over the past decade, as well as those that have fallen most sharply over that period.https://t.co/6zuQhdfKJB pic.twitter.com/fav2RDMIHb
— Henley & Partners (@HenleyPartners) January 13, 2025
“This didn’t happen by accident,” Philippe Amarante, Head of Middle East at Henley & Partners, told Arabian Business. “The UAE has been more active, more strategic in its global engagement.”
He pointed to the country’s expanding network of visa waiver treaties and trade agreements, including a fresh deal with New Zealand signed just last week.
The achievement is particularly noteworthy given the global context. While Singapore leads the index with access to 195 destinations and Japan follows at 193, the UAE’s rise stands out for its speed and scope.
Most nations in the top 10 are either European Union members or long-established economic powers. The latest rankings illustrate this dominance of traditional powers, with European nations – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and South Korea – sharing third position with access to 192 destinations. A Nordic-heavy group including Austria, Denmark, and Sweden follows closely at 191 destinations, while the UK shares fifth position with Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, and Switzerland at 190. Australia (189) and Canada (188) secured sixth and seventh places respectively, followed by several EU members at 187 destinations.
The United States sits at ninth with 186 destinations, just ahead of the UAE – marking a remarkable achievement for a nation that just a few decades ago barely registered on global mobility rankings.
Building trust through stability
The UAE’s diplomatic success rests heavily on what Jeffrey Hensler, CEO of Passport Legacy, calls the “trust factor.” Speaking from Dubai, he explained that countries evaluate visa-free agreements based not just on economics, but on security and reliability.
“If you look at any history, I do not think that a single UAE citizen has been much in the press of doing a heist, being involved in terrorism or anything such,” Hensler noted. “For other countries considering visa-free access, this track record matters enormously.”
This reputation for stability has given the Emirates a significant head start over its regional neighbours. While other Gulf states now pursue similar strategies, the UAE’s early moves have proved decisive.
The trust extends beyond security considerations. According to Amarante, the UAE established itself as a “reliable partner” for several countries.
“When they [other countries] grant visa-free access, they’re confident UAE citizens will respect their laws and contribute positively to their economies,” he added.
A magnet for global wealth
The passport’s rising strength coincides with the UAE’s emergence as a major wealth hub. Recent Henley & Partners data shows Dubai now hosts 212 centi-millionaires – individuals with investable assets exceeding $100 million – ranking it 15th globally for ultra-high-net-worth residents. More striking still, the firm projects this wealthy population to surge by over 150 per cent by 2040.
With 142,000 high-net-worth individuals expected to relocate globally in 2025, the Emirates’ combination of mobility rights and tax advantages has created what Hensler calls an unmatched proposition. “The UAE has very little competition,” he observes. “It’s not even that the UAE is doing extremely well – it’s the countries like the UK, France, Germany doing extremely bad.”
This wealth migration trend shows no signs of slowing. As founder of Passport Legacy, a firm specialising in residence and citizenship by investment with offices across seven countries including the UAE, Hensler has observed a significant uptick in applications from certain markets. European clients, particularly from Germany, have shown increasing interest in UAE residency options.
“In the past especially Germany, I mean, that is really a culture that failed massively,” Hensler noted. “We have therefore seen a lot of applications coming from there. But it’s not only about people that want another passport. It’s also about, really that relocation aspect, where they say, ‘You know what? I get appreciated in the UAE.'”
This convergence of rising passport power and wealth attraction is no coincidence. The UAE has carefully crafted its global position through a combination of strategic visa policies and innovative immigration programs.
The UAE’s approach to passport power goes beyond simple tourism promotion. Aaron McAuley, a paraplanner at GSB, told Arabian Business that the UAE’s increasingly powerful passport has become “a key factor influencing investment decisions.”
The country’s Golden Visa program, which offers long-term residency to investors and their families, has made the Emirates particularly attractive to wealthy individuals seeking both mobility and stability.
“The UAE has established around the world so-called visa waiver treaties,” Amarante explained. “They are a very attractive partner for countries abroad, to have immigrants come into the country.”
This strategic positioning has helped transform Dubai and Abu Dhabi into global business hubs.
Shifting global mobility, trade patterns
While traditional passport powerhouses have seen their positions slip – the US has dropped seven places from 2nd to 9th over the past decade – the UAE continues to strengthen its global ties. Recent announcements of comprehensive trade agreements and infrastructure investments suggest an acceleration rather than a slowdown in its diplomatic campaign.
“It all comes down to the fulfillment of the overarching strategy of increasing economic stimulation and economic activity for the UAE,” Amarante said, describing how passport power feeds into the country’s broader economic vision.
The strategy appears increasingly prescient as global mobility patterns shift. While countries like the US and UK grapple with declining influence – the British passport has fallen from first place in 2015 to fifth today – the UAE’s trajectory points upward.
For a nation just over 50 years old, the transformation is remarkable. As other countries grapple with declining influence, the UAE’s rise offers a masterclass in how focused diplomacy and strategic planning can reshape global mobility hierarchies. The question now isn’t whether the country will maintain its position, but how much higher it might climb.
Speaking about the UAE’s unique position in today’s global landscape, particularly as traditional powers face various challenges, Hensler emphasised the UAE’s successful approach to governance and growth.
“The UAE is a big profiter among all of that, and rightly so,” Hensler said, “because they do it correctly. They have a very strict law and rule… If you want to work, if you want to have a great job and a great life, and if you want to make money, you’re welcomed here with open arms.”
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